News Desk (LDNews March 2006)

Study Finds Students With Rigorous Academics in High School More Likely to Complete Bachelor’s Degree
Completing academically challenging course work in high school dramatically increases the likelihood of a student earning a bachelor’s degree, according to a new U.S. Department of Education study recently released.  The study, The Toolbox Revisited: Paths to Degree Completion From High School Through College, found that the academic intensity of a high school curriculum is the strongest indicator of postsecondary degree completion, regardless of a student's major course of study.

For more information, go to: http://www.ed.gov/rschstat/research/pubs/toolboxrevisit/index.html

NYU Plans for Children's Mental Health Center
New York University plans to build what it says will be the nation's largest pediatric mental health center to treat thousands of children and train thousands of doctors. Governor George E. Pataki has pledged more than $65 million in state funds for the project.

To read the article, click here.

What the ACT Reveals about College Readiness in Reading
A new report by ACT, called "Reading Between the Lines," concluded that too many American high school students are graduating without the reading skills they'll need to succeed in college and in workforce training programs.

For the full report in PDF, go to: http://www.act.org/path/policy/pdf/reading_report.pdf

For the executive summary, go to: http://www.act.org/path/policy/pdf/reading_summary.pdf

New Study Reveals the Need for Improved Practice Regarding the Use of Accommodations
The most recent Issue Brief from the Education Policy Reform Research Institute (EPRRI) includes the summary of a survey of special education teachers in six school districts in four states about the use of student accommodations. Topics discussed include factors influencing IEP team decisions, the most commonly used accommodations, and the processes used to ensure accommodations are provided.

To download the complete brief in PDF format, go to: http://www.eprri.org/PDFs/IB7.pdf

For key highlights from this issue brief, go to:  http://www.eprri.org/IB7.html

New Research Indicates that Students are Literally "On the Move"
New research shows that by the end of 3rd grade, one of six children in the United States has already attended three or more schools. During a four-year period, overall school stability can fall below 50 percent for many schools. The article is not available on the Internet, however, free copies of "Students on the Move" are available by sending an e-mail to the author, Chester Hartman. 

To order a copy, contact: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

New State Comprehensive Systems Attempt to Maximize Resources to Serve Vulnerable Children
To meet the federal goal of helping all kids enter school ready to learn, states are increasingly focusing on the social and emotional components of development. But with no single funding source targeting young kids who face social and emotional threats to school readiness, states have to juggle the funds and requirements of several sources. This brief from the National Center for Children in Poverty looks at how some states are effectively designing comprehensive, family-focused identification and intervention efforts.

For more information, go to: http://nccp.org/pub_pti06a.html.

High School Dropouts Costly to U.S. Economy
More than 1.2 million students didn't graduate from U.S. high schools in 2004, costing the nation more than $325 billion in lost wages, taxes, and productivity over their lifetimes, reports the Alliance for Excellent Education.

For more information, go to: http://www.all4ed.org/press/pr_022806.html

Perspectives of High School Dropouts
A survey of high school dropouts, recently released by Civic Enterprises, offers a surprising view of why these students drop out of school. It finds that nearly two-thirds of dropouts say they would have worked harder if expectations had been higher. The study says states should consider "early-warning systems" to identify kids at risk of dropping out and to look into raising the age at which students can legally leave school.

For the press release, click here.

To download the report in PDF, go to: http://www.civicenterprises.net/pdfs/thesilentepidemic3-06.pdf.

New Information about Students with Disabilities Placed in Private Schools by Parents
The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) at the U.S. Department of Education, recently released some helpful information about students with disabilities placed by their parents in private schools. Titled Questions and Answers on Serving Children With Disabilities Placed by Their Parents at Private Schools, this resource was developed in response to queries from state officials, elected representatives and parents since a change to IDEA became effective on July 1, 2005.

For more information, go to: http://www.ed.gov/policy/speced/guid/idea/idea2004.html.